The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-11-05
{ MY GIRL

~ I'LL ulNu. "A
"Yos, darling, I give you my secret to
keep. I hide 1t oil under your warm,
pink hand. 1t will not disturb your limo.
cent sleep. But you'll wake, and find 1t,
and understand" ~
I fancy 1t was some adoption Of a ia.
miliar poem that crept into my brain just
ten. -g'il7t9f
I was at home on q college vacation,
young and hopeful and ambitious. I had
not thought much about girls-surely
nothing about .marriagc-ior was only
twenty then, and. naturally, a student.
But there was a girl at mothers this
wonderful summer time OF which I'wrise.
A girl with soft, intense brown eyes,
and pale, delicate face, relieved by bril-.
liant scarlet mouth, and dark, line hair.
never knew-do not know to this day,
whether that girl was handsome or not,
but she charmed mo. I nhould have
been content to alt still all day long and
stare at her. 1..,.tisi 81 s5g.,i,-lE,.s'ElG 5l
Every tone OF her voice was music,
every word. concentrated wisdom, Al
leaat that was what thought then, and
did not intend to be apooney.
l suppose l had as little respect for
apooneyism az any young fellow in town.
But that girl-she made mo forget all at
fn q I'm oil l.
clear, plain way about duty and work 10
be done, and would listen with varying
color, and quick-coming breath, es though
an oracle had spoken. Then opened my
books, and set about reviewing my studies
with grand ambition born somewhere
among her words, differing entirely from
tho school.boy ambition I had felt bs.
fore. ila = IA
Oacs studied to keep high place in
my clses, to please my mother, aud in or
der that some day I might graduate with
high honors. ~ sd II
Now, I felt that there were certain
truths hidden in nature which I ought to
discover; great stores OF knowledge wait
ing for me to win; heights and depths Of
science yet UNEMPLOYED, and the great
o1asa Of humanity to be taught, rsised,
elevated, that the world might be bat.
ter world for my life and labors upon it.
Oh, the days that dreamed out araudly
in those frat wakenings Of scholarly hope
and pride. And all for her sake, who
floated about the old house like glimpse
Of light, never seeming to make the
slightest effort for pswer or influence, and
yet bringing hope and sunshine wherever
she moved. :rs,, 4is-
It WIS while I YVES thus charmed and
dazed by her sweet presence that the
dream OF love calno to me, and I thought
how pleasant homo would be- il she could
always brighten and bleHa it with her pres.
erce, and l wrote her long, long letter,
which, when finished, seemed 60 very for.
NAL and stupid that I dreaded to think
bow little, quiet laugh might Turk about
her beautiful mouth, or a surprised; half
angry frown creep across her fair broYs,
If she ever read it. st8
Then l determined TO commit the whole
thing to memory, and repest 1t 10 her at
some convenient time, wondering il I
could make her believe it mere extern.
poraneouo burst Of eloquence. ~
There Yves no. much burst about it. as
| concluded when l came to rehearse It;
but che was so plain and practical, per.
haps che would like it better, thought,
than any amount Of rhetorical flourish,
1t certainly evinced earnestness and deter.
mination, for I had thrown into it oil the
lorcs Of a college essay, with more heart
than any essay ever held. So waded
patiently through the whole four pages,
and then waited and watched my chance.
| did not dare ask her to walk with me,
and there never wsa q portability of find
ing her alone anywhere about the house,
for when she was not with mother, Tom.
my, my younger brother, was euro to BIZ
hanging around, and there was no use in
trying to talk sentiment with hia sharp
ears on the alert 10 catch every word, how
ever softly spoken, I do not know what
kindly fate prompted my wandering one
warm, bright afternoon, but out in the
orchard l found her, my hearts queen,
Inst asleep in the hammock I bad hung
low between two gnarled old apple trees,
with one hand holding the book she had
been reading, and the other half closed
beneath her pale, pretty lace.
In an instant had forgotten reasou
and argument. I tore leaf from nv
note book and wrote on II only II love
you" Oh, strange epitome OF life! This
| folded carefully, and clipping 1t as care
July into her hand and walked away,
saying softly. 5sl5.
"iou will wake and 1ud 1t and Understand.
And Sll uuawarcs will your answer b. given,
For SHAH BIZ watt hing your dreamy eyes, ~
My fair queen lily, my glimpse Of heaven. ~
Then l climbed into the nearest tree,
where could see her plainly.
She woke soon-woke With q tluttesing
Of her white eyelids md quick soft sigh.
The folded paper rustleu beneath her
hand as she raised horself on ono elbow ;
she drew 1t out listlessly and read: ii
love you" I saw the puzzled look on her
fscs give place to soft, rosy glow--srch
Q wondering, happy look then she glanc.
cd sbyly around, slipped out of her
swinging couch and walked away. IA
climbed into the nest che had left and
lay there dreaming for houre, quite con-
tent 10 know that abs Gid not reject my
love and that abe fully understood it, for
I WAS sure I had heard her murmur:
what arrange, ahy child he is," and |
had chuckled all to myself, saying: "Ah,
little mo.herly woman, am afraid YOU
will find him 9 forward child to manage,
but no means to grow gentle and good for
your sake" IS l. '5gtats q - sls'
! knew 1t would not be right to bind her
to any promise. She wss 60 young, and
bad still two years Of college lie before